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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24512542">A kind of magic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnlacingLines/pseuds/EnlacingLines'>EnlacingLines</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Academy Era, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Pre-Time Skip, Prompt Fic, Sylvain Week (Fire Emblem)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:22:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,584</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24512542</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnlacingLines/pseuds/EnlacingLines</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Wait Felix? You want me to tutor Felix?” he says, and actually backs away one step. </p>
<p>She pauses, then nods. “Actually, I want you to tutor each other. Your lance work could progress more, and he needs help with Reason. I’ll make sure your class schedules match up,” she says just as Sylvain starts to panic. </p>
<p>Sylvain's budding talent for Reason lands him in an unexpected place. Written for the Sylvain Week prompt 'Budding Talent.'</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>198</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A kind of magic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Well seeing as I wrote something for Felix's birthday week, I had to match it with something for Sylvain! </p>
<p>Thank you to the lovely MxTicketyBoo for betaing and listening to me whine about this story! </p>
<p>The incredible Natedo_art on Twitter drew this <a href="https://twitter.com/natendo_art/status/1268224553882443777">fantastic art</a> for this story, please take a look!</p>
<p>Hope you all enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Initially, being told to study Reason seems nonsensical; Sylvain has fought with a lance for as long as he can remember, and although he doesn’t practice as much as some people think he should, it’s still his strength. Magic doesn’t connect with physical prowess in the same way, but he can’t deny his interest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’s never even tried to cast a single spell before, but he attends two Reason lectures, spends a few nights reading the texts the Professor recommends, and decides to give it a try. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure you should start with fire, Sylvain?” Dimitri asks. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain doesn’t actually know why he’s being observed by four of his classmates, he’d only asked Annette if she could give him a few pointers. But Annette is Annette: adorable, powerful, determined and cannot for the life of her, keep a secret. So now His Highness, Ingrid and Felix are all crowded into the classroom. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Seems the easiest,” he says with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? Fire. In a place full of books,” Ingrid says, crossing her arms in doubt and Sylvain holds up his hands. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m aiming away from the shelves, okay? I read up on this, it’s fine,” he says, and Felix, who is standing by the door, as far away from any of them as possible, snorts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You? Reading? Please,” he says, and Sylvain cannot deny it smarts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They aren’t...okay. He knows it’s his fault for the most part, he decided to act in this manner. But the sting from Felix’s initial call out in their first few days of the monastery reveals itself in these moments, even though Felix recently apologised. It’s been better but it’s not smooth, the remnants of their childhood closeness frayed by long periods apart and the tragedies that occurred between. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain wishes he knew how to reconcile with him now, but he’s caught in what he means to say and what he must say, the persona he’s cultivated so much more true than his real self; what he says and does are now disingenuous by default. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But he’s always truthful when he asks for Felix’s time, for his thoughts and for his expertise. In Felix, he’s always himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And there’s a reason for that, it’s just not worth exploring. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So he can understand why none of them believe he has studied enough to attempt to try this, and even Annette, through her clear guilt at telling someone, looks wary. It hurts, a little, but it’s his own fault for pretending he doesn’t actually care about his classes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“H-he is actually right, it’s a good spell to pick to try first,” Annette says suddenly, and the other three all turn to her in shock. She looks between them before offering Sylvain a small smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“See! Thank you, Annette,” he says winking, and she opens her mouth in shock, but he turns away, back to his disbelieving friends and the precious flammable books and focusing towards the target Annette set up. It’s fireproof, and probably magic proof, he’s not actually sure what these things are made of, and he inhales once before holding up his hands. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The runes come to him easily, the meaning and patterns clear as if he’s staring at the page. As soon as his mind conjures them he feels it. That ignition, the surge not unlike the rush of well placed dodge, of running through a snowstorm, of snaring a smile from someone perpetually frowning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The circle appears, red and glowing, the surge streaking from his centre to his fingertips, and as it does, he focuses on the target and throws. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A ball of fire streams from his hands and slams into the target before dissipating, leaving behind a red mark as it’s only tell. He tilts his head. It’s off centre, so wouldn’t be great in a battle, but he’s fine with that. That new found energy had been slightly off-putting, but he knows the feeling now, hopefully the control will come. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck was that?!” Felix yells and Sylvain spins around</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Language,” Dimitri says weakly, eyes focused on the target. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Err...a fire spell?” Sylvain says, confused as to precisely what Felix looks so annoyed about. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Was that really your first try?” Ingrid says and he nods looking between them all. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How are you always like this?” Annette asks and Sylvain just shrugs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I told you, I read some books, I remember the symbols and then...fire,” he says. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They all stare at him. Then, without a word, Felix turns and leaves the room, slamming the door behind him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Apparently first time spells do not often work like that, as Annette explains in frustrated detail later. The Professor commends him highly when she sees his results in their next lesson, but this creates more work, which he’s not so keen on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>However, in the coming weeks he finds Reason and magic more fun than he could have anticipated. His father tolerates mages, understands on some level they are useful, but never encouraged Sylvain to pay much attention to their arts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps that’s another reason he’s so drawn to it, another small rebellion against his birth. The others are that it’s consuming and complex; although he’d mastered the first spell easily, the others have been more of a challenge, especially healing. Mercedes and Annette seem to believe he’s progressing remarkably well but for him, it always feels clumsy, magic at times appearing random in its success rate. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s easy then, to ask to switch his focus to Reason and lance, perhaps aiming to qualify for the Dark Rider exam in future. It’s freeing in a way, a decision he made on his own, not carved out before him. It takes up more of his time than he imagined, and he ends up studying more than he ever has, sacrificing other distractions he’d usually opt for. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>At first, his concentration isn’t noticed. He does occasionally study with Annette, but she is intense in a way that he finds astonishing and a little terrifying, so mostly it’s alone. Which is fine. Most of his life he’s been that way, living far from anyone in the northmost part of the country, his duties focused on defending the border and not the future King. He may have had the connections as a child, but in recent years, he’s used to this. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Until that suddenly changes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sylvain, I’d like to ask you to tutor,” the Professor says one day after class and actually laughs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Me? I’m flattered but that’s definitely not my strong suit,” he says, but she just looks, unblinking, those eyes which see far too much breaking through all the masks he holds. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your progress in Reason has been the best in the class. And I need your help in catching Felix up quickly,” she says. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait Felix? You want me to tutor Felix?” he says, and actually backs away one step. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She pauses, then nods. “Actually, I want you to tutor each other. Your lance work could progress more, and he needs help with Reason. I’ll make sure your class schedules match up,” she says just as Sylvain starts to panic. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I really don’t think this is a good idea,” he tries. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?” she asks and there are so any thousands of explanations that Sylvain cannot think of where to begin. The problem is in that moment she takes it as a done deal. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well then, I’ll reserve a classroom for this evening. You can start with Reason training. I’m sure Felix will decide when’s best for sparring,” she says with an almost smile and Sylvain is left gaping as she ushers him out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s not a good idea. He’ll have to try and get out of it. There are loads of other people who could help Felix, inside and outside of their house. The tentative understanding they have is not strong enough to ensure they make it out of close proximity with one another unscathed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He muses, as the day blurs far too quickly for his liking, how he can possibly change this. Once, he and Felix were inseparable, Felix almost clingy even. He feels...connected to Felix in ways he has never felt with another person, and probably never will again. Sylvain isn’t stupid, he knows he had a crush on Felix growing up, knows when they’d promised to die together he meant it, wished for it. A life without Felix didn’t seem like much of a life at all. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But now? Time makes everything more complicated, and sorting through the changes in the world and his feelings is difficult. Felix is attractive, that’s obvious and most likely an understatement. And that undercurrent, that magnetism that seems to draw him to Felix in all situations still makes itself known. And he would lay down his life tomorrow should the call come. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yet it’s not the same. These base factors exist but actually having a genuine conversation with Felix for more than five minutes is more difficult than mastering healing. That he doesn’t know how to resolve. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’ll have to try though, for the evening rolls on and he enters the classroom before dinner to find Felix already there. He smiles, his best, most charming smile he usually reserves for when he’s in serious trouble, and of course Felix scoffs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m not late!” he protests, and Felix folds his arms and stares him down, extremely effectively seeing as Sylvain is so much taller. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, well...what are you struggling with? And I didn’t know you were learning Reason,” he adds, and feels sort of hurt as soon as the words are out. For some reason he feels he should know this, it should have been mentioned. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I only got roped into it last week, I’ve barely started. I was planning to tell you anyway, then the Professor asked me to train with you,” he says, and seems to tack on the last part, a strange rush of words that has Sylvain smiling. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Aww, you wanted to tell me? I’m touched!” he says and Felix rolls his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Get on with training, Sylvain. I’m not here to chat,” he says, and Sylvain tilts his head thinking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How about this. I’ve barely seen you this week so, let’s practice magic, then have tea. Deal?” he says. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop trying to get out of working,” Felix growls and Sylvain shakes his head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm not, I swear. Magic uses energy from your own body as well as the world. If we’re going to do a lot, we need a break and to recharge. It’s a different kind of tiredness from sparring,” he says, the idea forming as he speaks. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain isn’t lying, he almost collapsed after the first hours long practice. It will be nice to have tea and recharge. Of course he knows Felix is capable of doing this himself, but he has to try. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. But only after we’ve finished,” he says, and Sylvain is pleasantly surprised by the easy acceptance. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Turns out, Felix really has no aptitude for magic. It also turns out Sylvain though that Sylvain, strangely, enjoys teaching. He’s never tried to share his knowledge with anyone, has never had an excuse to. But as soon as he starts he realises it’s actually fun; a challenge to figure out how Felix grasps concepts, what holds him back and what makes things easier. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Show me the thunder spell,” Sylvain says after they’ve unsuccessfully managed to get Felix to conjure fire. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felix nods, lifts his arms, and the dark blue circle appears, before a strike hits the target. Sylvain watches as Felix turns. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You aren’t following through with the focus. You know the components but the concentration slips once you have the spell in your hands. Once you have it, you need to keep that control until all the magic is expelled. That way the force will increase, and your targeting is easier,” he says. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felix’s mouth widens, then closes abruptly. He stares, unblinking at the target, then inhales once, lifting his arms and casting once more. This time, Sylvain sees the difference, Felix holding on until the last moment, the result meaning the target is struck almost dead centre. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” Sylvain cheers, stepping closer to Felix who spins, actually grinning broadly, such a fantastic change to his demeanour that Sylvain warms from the inside, arms itching to wrap around him, capture some of that shared enthusiasm in an embrace. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But it flees as swiftly as it came, Felix’s stoic expression returning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good advice. Thank you, Sylvain. What’s next?” Felix says, and Sylvain hates how much his stomach swoops at that, at Felix wanting to know and focus on something only he can give. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They train until Felix looks like he’s going to fall over, and Sylvain feels little better. It’s with relief that Sylvain drags him back to his room, and Felix half collapses into a chair as Sylvain makes tea. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He seems in a daze when Sylvain hands him a cup, still steaming. He looks up, eyes almost glazed in a sleepy fashion which makes him look so much softer, sharp edges worn away by work and time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He takes the cup silently, drinks without thinking then pauses. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I like this,” he says slowly, and Sylvain snorts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What, you think I’d forget what tea you like?” he says, as if he hasn’t got all of Felix’s likes memorised. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know why anyone would remember,” Felix mutters into his cup, and Sylvain rolls his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you guess what mine is?” he asks, and Felix takes another sip before placing the cup down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Bergamot,” he says and Sylvain almost drops the cup, causing Felix to huff. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You hardly change,” he says, but it sounds fond, almost as if it’s a relief to Felix that he got the answer correct, that somethings still stay the same no matter what. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They drink their tea in a silence that is pleasant, even if it’s not quite comfortable, before Sylvain picks up a bag of cookies. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, I only have sweet things, I’ll pick something up for next time,” Sylain says, offering one anyway, and Felix turns up his nose. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Next time?” he questions, draining his cup. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You still can’t cast fire, we need to practice,” Sylvain reminds him, and gets a threatening glare for his trouble. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It starts the routine though. Sylvain is summoned to the training grounds after dinner two nights later, and then ends up on his back more frequently than he should. Despite not being a lance expert, Felix’s form and sheer determination in training just surprised him each time. He’ll be covered in bruises come morning, but he feels he’s made some strides. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re done. Clean up and come to my room,” Felix says. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Sylvain replies, and to his amusement Felix turns scarlet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“For...tea, Sylvain!” he almost shouts and Sylvain laughs so hard he knocks over several training lances. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, sorry, wait Felix, hang on!” he calls as Felix leaves the room in what Sylvain thinks is a half strop, and puts his weapons away quickly to run after him. For all his stomping, he’s not actually gone that far, pace obviously not as fast as he initially left the room, and Sylvain slings an arm around his shoulders as soon as he reaches. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felix tenses, but doesn’t shrug Sylvain off, which is definitely progress. In fact, he allows Sylvain to stay like that, leaning over him until they reach their rooms, when he promptly twists away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Clean up, then come back,” he says, then opens his door and slams it shut. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain rolls his eyes, but cannot help but smile his way through his ablutions, hair still a little damp as he knocks on Felix's door. When it’s open, there’s a moment, a break in time where Sylvain sees Felix, hair down and uniform replaced by more casual clothing and his mind wonders </span>
  <em>
    <span>when did your hair get so long and your shoulder so muscular?</span>
  </em>
  <span> And Felix blinks too many times before flushing and stomping away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It settles almost immediately though as when Sylvain steps in and carefully closes the door, there’s already a brewing pot of tea and, to his surprise, cookies. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you go out and get these?” he asks, striding over to pop one in his mouth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No” Felix grumbles, “Annette had some already.” he says, and Sylvain grins before eating another as the tea is poured. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s later than he usually snacks, but Sylvain is so drained from their practice that he devours several cookies before he finishes the first cup. Felix looks almost horrified as he eats dried meat slices, which cannot, Sylvain thinks, mix well with tea. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So how was I?” he asks, smiling in that particular way, causing Felix to choke on his tea, which is entirely worth it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Lacking,” Felix counters once he breathes, raising his eyebrow and Sylvain gapes because that rebuttal in the same theme and tone...this borders on flirtation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His heart double beats before he can calm it, hope lightening it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Aww, can’t deny I almost swept you off your feet that one time though,” he says, testing the waters and this time, Felix is more prepared. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And I actually knocked you flat. You’ll need to do better,” he remarks, and that blush is still there, still almost reaching his ears and Sylvain thinks this might be something. Felix, after all, agreed to tea the first time, has offered to return the favour this time, and their banter is the fizzle of a spell just before fruition. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s good. Better than anything before, better than Sylvain could have imagined. But it still might be imagining, he isn’t quite sure. So it’s best really, to take it slow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I ask you something about the fire spell?” Felix says abruptly, and Sylvain forces himself to focus on the now rather than the might be. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, anything for my favorite student,” Sylvain says, and Felix ignores this jab in order to pick up a book, dogeared on a specific page. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He makes a noise of protest on seeing Felix mark books in this way, and Felix just glares. He stabs a finger at the circle of runes and Sylvain squints. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Will this formation make it easier? I haven’t seen this technique before,” he asks, and Sylvain peers at it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm...maybe? I can’t say I have either but perhaps it’s just older. Or newer maybe, okay let’s think it through.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They trade ideas back and forth, moving once the tea is drained to Felix’s bed, leaning against the wall so Sylvain can trace outlines of spells in the air which never fully take form. They lean over the same book, eventually replacing it with others and tangents spill out as the hours pass. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain does not recall falling asleep, but he does wake with a jolt, body now trained to respond to the church bells ringing out in time for morning prayers, and the movement makes his neck ache sharply, and he groans as he moves. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Someone else makes a similar sound and Sylvain snaps his eyes open, a familiar room blurring into focus as he tries to recall who he’s with. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sylvain! Why are you still here, go!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a painful, bony elbow jammed into his ribs and there’s literally only one person in the world who has been bruising that particular spot with their appendages for years. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Felix, why,” he mumbles, the room coming into focus as Felix pushes him off the bed. He staggers, catching onto the desk chair and stretching out his back. He really shouldn’t already have back pain at twenty. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We must have fallen asleep reading,” he says, which is something they used to do a lot as children, and it's comforting that this has happened once again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care, I need to train before breakfast, hurry up and get out,” Felix grumbles from behind, his voice still thick with sleep. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain turns, and just about stops himself from cooing. Felix’s hair is an absolute mess, sticking up on end and he’s rubbing his eyes to try and force himself awake. But once he lowers them, that sharp, expectant gaze appears, and Sylvain already has far too many bruises, he doesn’t need to add more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, okay, but this was your idea. I’ll see you in class,” he calls as Felix looks as if he might start throwing things if Sylvain isn’t careful. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He manages to nap, and miss Seteth’s lecture which he’ll pay for later, but doesn’t care. Ingrid gives him a look as he slides into House mathematics class before lunch, and manages to avoid her by starting up a conversation with his Highness, one of the only people she won’t interrupt. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s as he’s about to start lunch that his elbow is jogged with someone squeezing into the space next to him, only for Felix to appear. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sitting with the boar,” he grumbles, looking to the opposite side of the table. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There are many, many free seats in the dining hall but Sylvain doesn’t point that out. Felix doesn’t actually speak to him during lunch; he carries on with his conversation with Dimitri and Dedue, Felix occasionally making displeased sounds. All in all, rather like a cat not wanting to be seen with him, tolerating the lack of attention. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fire spell later,” is all he says as a parting gift, not waiting for Sylvain to agree. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone else at the table gives him a strange look, but Sylvain grins back, the unexpected presence of Felix eating with him, and requesting his company giving him an extra spring to his step. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After the flirting last night, he knows there’s something there. It’s more than a hope, more than a wish but if it’s actually something Felix wants to pursue, he isn't sure. He’s not really sure what he wants; Felix means more to him than anyone ever had or probably will. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But. Sylvain doesn't know how to be with someone. Assuming that’s where this could go, for he doesn’t think he could ever see Felix as a temporary person in his life, in whatever shape that may be. He knows how to pretend, how to act like relationships will last, but has no actual model of how these things work. Relationships and people in general are complicated; navigating well through the difficult parts is not something he has any experience of, he leaves before it has a chance to get complicated. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He wants to though. Wants to know what that’s like, learning and growing and experiencing with another person, specifically with Felix. But it doesn’t make it any less terrifying. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So he puts it behind him for the meantime, and focuses on preparing for the evening, thinking of ways he might use what they read in the book the night before to hopefully help Felix finally master the spell. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As before, Sylvain is on time, yet Felix is already there. There is no preamble, Felix immediately gestures towards the target. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Show me again,” he commands, and Sylvain smiles, before turning and striking, the spell hitting dead centre. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felix tries and nothing occurs, so they go slower; Sylvain conjures the pattern, shows Felix each symbol in turn, but still something is off. They take out the book, and Felix seems to gain more confidence from drawing out the runes, and Sylvain suddenly has a thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, stand near the target, show me how you prepare,” he says. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felix looks dubiously over his shoulder, but does so. Sylvain pauses, then walks up behind him without truly thinking, reaching up to grip his wrist lightly. As soon as he does, Felix’s breath hitches; just for a moment, a barely there tell and it hits Sylvain just how close they are. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He can feel heat coming off Felix, exertion and just from living, and if he focuses he thinks he can hear the beating of his heart, which is impossible but a good fantasy. He’s so close to Felix’s hair he could bury his face in it, kiss the top of his head if he so wishes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he does. He wishes, he wants, he craves that closeness, but he doesn’t know if Felix does. So he brings them back in the moment, and gently moves Felix’s arms. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wider stance. Just like that, yeah,” he says, not meaning to whisper, but it comes out as such, and Felix actually shivers as his voice seems to travel up his skin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax a bit,” Sylvain says, and waits until Felix’s arms loosen in his, before stepping away. He moves to the side and as he does, notes that Felix is blushing deeply, and files this away in other signs of something he is sure they both share. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, let me watch you this time,” he says, moving to stand to the side, not near enough for the target to be in danger, but close enough to see the moment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felix flicks his eyes to him, then turns his attention fully to the target. Within a second, the circle appears, and Sylvain feels himself grin as he watches Felix slowly active the spell, knowing by now the internal process of focusing on setting it free. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Felix’s hands move, the air ripples. A thickening, a drawing in of more from around them, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up and fear rising as the spell suddenly gains more charge. Felix feels it too, but it’s already happening, his eyes widening and Sylvain sees with building horror as his crest activates just as the spell releases. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t see the impact, but the detonation rattles his skull as he's swung off his feet and the air burns. His vision blurs for a moment and he feels himself gasp, pain rippling up one side, and the pertinent scent of burnt hair surrounds him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sylvain!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He groans and the world spins into focus wobbling for a moment before righting. Felix is kneeling beside him, hands hovering and face concerned, yet he clearly doesn’t know what to do. Slowly, Sylvain sits up, wincing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you burn off my hair?” he asks, and Felix blinks, before frowning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, just singed a bit. Sorry,” he adds, and Sylvain laughs lightly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Phew, then it’s fine. And you did it! Should have known you’d activate your crest first time you successfully cast a fire spell,” he says, but then freezes and Felix suddenly ducks forward, and kisses his cheek. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s brief, he’s gone in an instant, and pulling back even further, looking entirely too grumpy for someone who just gave a kiss. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s red,” he mutters, and Sylvain smiles, so much it aches his cheeks and he doesn’t think anyone could make such a smile appear for him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well now that definitely helped. But...I think a real kiss might help even more,” he says and Felix scoffs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” he says, although he shuffles forward in the same instant. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But Felix, you just blew me up!” he says, hand clutching to his chest in feigned pain he doesn’t truly feel as Felix bristles. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It was an accident, shut up!” he yells, and Sylvain laughs again, cannot believe how easy and simple it is just to fall and exist in this moment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Make me,” he says with a wink, not sure if this will work, but they are learning, and this is their first trial. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And it does work. For Felix surges forward and does indeed shut him up, most effectively. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Accidental Crest activation and 'shut up' kisses, oh my. </p>
<p>Find me on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/EnlacingL/">Twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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